People in the news for May 8, 1997

Thursday, May 8, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

Ask not for whom the wedding bell tolls, it tolls for David Duchovny and Tea Leoni. The "X-Files" heartthrob and the "Naked Truth" hotsy were married the other day in New York. Only a few family members attended the hush-hush ceremony, which was probably very lovely, despite the lack of paparazzi and tabloid-chartered helicopters. Duchovy and Leoni have been dating since January. Says the couple, "We are thrilled. We are happy. It all worked. We are clanking rings." Ah, clanking rings -- the sound of amour! Duchovny, 37, wore a tan suit while the 31-year-old actress wore a pink strapless dress. By then, Duchovny had apparently removed the secrecy-ensuring fake mustache he wore earlier this week to apply for the marriage license. Yes, the naked truth is way, way out there.

Wacky lawmaker notes

*There are times when Sonny Bono really, really examines his life -- fluky congressman, straight man for Cher, purveyor of forgettable novelty songs, wearer of many bad '70s fashions -- and thinks, I could be a United States senator! He's talking up a possible run against California's Barbara Boxer. "Don't sell Barbara Boxer short," he says, demonstrating the sense of humor that made "The Sonny and Cher Show" the TV classic it was. "She's a good street fighter. I consider myself a street fighter, rather than a political type." Yes, many street fighters go by "Sonny." He'll decide whether or not to shadow Boxer later this month.

*There are times when Orrin Hatch really, really examines his life -- longtime Republican senator from Utah, force on Capitol Hill, Mormon bigwig -- and thinks, I could be Sonny Bono! His first CD went on sale this week. For "My God is Love," a disc of patriotic, religious and love songs, the senator wrote all the lyrics but doesn't actually sing; the path to true Bono-ness is a slow one, after all. "Being a senator is so demanding, so contentious and sometimes depressing," he says, "it's wonderful to have this as an outlet." Producers are peddling his songs to the likes of Garth Brooks and Celine Dion.

Rooned their day

Being the boss hog of ABC News is so demanding, contentious and sometimes depressing, it's wonderful to have bitter comments about your rivals as an outlet. In the upcoming Vanity Fair, ABC's Roone Arledge slags a host of the other networks' talent. Over at NBC, they are not thrilled. They are not happy. They are clanking mad about such Arledgian bons mots as Jane Pauley and Stone Phillips kind of do what they're told and Tom Brokaw and Katie Couric are NBC's only stars. Ask not for whom the hot retort zings, Roone Arledge, it zings for thee: Phillips calls Arledge's comments "ridiculous." Adds Pauley, "Only Roone, who invented the star thing, would brag about having a legacy of stars. It is of value only to Roone to turn and say, 'Other networks don't have any stars.' In his value system, Roone must have his stars." Nice jab, Jane -- you can see why we consider her a street fighter, not a talking-head type.

Compiled by Scott Dickensheets